![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/sport\/sport-135x135.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Kevin Sinfield has completed his latest energy-sapping fundraising challenge to help people living with motor neurone disease.<\/p>\n
The 43-year-old former rugby league star crossed the finishing line to a rapturous welcome on The Mall in London on Thursday afternoon after running seven ultra marathons in seven different cities in as many days, once again inspired by former team-mate Rob Burrow\u2019s MND diagnosis.<\/p>\n
Shortly afterwards, he told the gathered crowd: \u201cYou all know why we\u2019re here. Hopefully we\u2019ve sent the right message out. The MND community is a beautiful community and it needs al of us to keep fighting. The awareness we have generated this week has been enormous again in Rob\u2019s name.<\/p>\n
\u201cFundraising is so important. We tried to push this morning how important the money is because that\u2019s the thing that\u2019s going to shift the dial for us. That\u2019s the thing that\u2019s going to get us a cure.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s also the thing that\u2019s going to make sure families are looked after properly, If there\u2019s one thing you leave today with today from our team, it\u2019s that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sinfield and his team took to the roads once again to raise awareness of MND and funds for five charities supporting people affected by the condition and their families, and also to fund research into effective treatments and ultimately a cure.<\/p>\n
Each leg has comprised 27 miles \u2013 the conventional marathon distance with an extra mile added to signify how much further people can go to help friends in need \u2013 with the aim being to complete it in under four hours.<\/p>\n
Thursday\u2019s course took the team from Twickenham to Africa Gate on The Mall via Hyde Park, Bond Street, Regent Street, Leicester Square, Tower Bridge, Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square with former England cricketer Stuart Broad and Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood among the guests who joined them.<\/p>\n
Their target was to raise \u00a3777,777 to help around 5,000 people currently living with MND in the United Kingdom, among them Burrow, ex-Gloucester and Leicester forward Ed Slater, former professional footballers Marcus Stewart and Stephen Darby, with the late Doddie Weir, who died at the age of 52 in November last year almost six years after being diagnosed with MND, another inspiration.<\/p>\n
As Sinfield untied his shoelaces, the total had passed the \u00a3630,000 mark with more than \u00a394,000 pledged in Gift Aid.<\/p>\n
The former Leeds Rhinos, England and Great Britain rugby league loose forward, who is currently defence coach for England\u2019s rugby union team, has spearheaded a campaign which has already raised more than \u00a38million.<\/p>\n
He and his team set off from Twickenham at 12pm on Thursday having already completed 27-mile routes in Leeds, Cardiff, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Dublin and Brighton.<\/p>\n
Speaking before embarking on the final leg of his gruelling challenge, Sinfield told BBC Breakfast: \u201cWhat\u2019s been really important this week again is the awareness that\u2019s been generated, but as we\u2019ve seen, it\u2019s the money that\u2019s going to make the difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery spare bit that anybody\u2019s got. if they can donate, it would be much appreciated because these people really need us.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, we\u2019re alright running, but running doesn\u2019t find a cure, it\u2019s the money that does so if you can donate, please do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Proceeds from Sinfield\u2019s latest initiative will go to mainly to the MND Association and Leeds Hospitals Charity appeal to build the Rob Burrow MND centre in the city, but there will also be donations to the My Name\u20195 Doddie, the Irish MND Association, the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation and support for the 4ED campaign.<\/p>\n
:: To donate to Kevin Sinfield\u2019s 7 in 7 in 7 quest, see https:\/\/donate.giveasyoulive.com\/fundraising\/kevin-sinfield<\/p>\n